The invention is generally related to computers and computer software, and in particular to enterprise application integration (EAI) methods, systems, and computer program products for integrating front-end applications with application program interfaces (APIs) and middleware business services.
Travel industry software, such as supply chain management applications, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and business intelligence applications, must communicate with one another in order to share data or business rules. In order to avoid lack of communication and resulting inefficiencies, e.g., duplicate data stored in multiple locations or automation difficulties, applications must be linked while also making as few changes to the existing applications or data structures as possible.
EAI uses software and computer systems' architectural principles to integrate enterprise computer applications, facilitating communication across the applications. EAI in the travel industry is typically performed by separate development teams, often defining dependencies on either a singular impromptu point-to-point basis or in separate isolated groups, resulting in a complex development process that is difficult to integrate across teams. Furthermore, it is not possible to represent and integrate the outcome of such orchestration until the EAI process has been completed and all of the dependencies have been compiled, including providing key intermediate information such as response time projections.
In order to assess the integration of travel industry software throughout the development and orchestration process, a continuing need exists for computer-based middleware flow assessment tools, as well as improved methods and computer program products for providing key development metrics.